Work by Herbert included in this catalogue
Herbert Moses bringing down the Tablets of the Law 1877 {1878} NGV [PA]
Pre-Felton works bought on Herbert’s advice
Courtauld Memories of the First Palm Sunday 1871 {1872} NGV [PA]
* Field Grey Day on the Thames 1871 {1872} Loc? [WT]
Hering Druidical monuments 1871 {1872} NGV [PA]
* Hunt (A.) Moonrise, near Bamborough Castle {1873} Loc? [PA]
* Layraud Italian Brigands 1870 {1873} Loc? [PA]
Herbert, who knew Pugin (see Pugin Oxford {1877} NGV [WT]), converted to Roman Catholicism in about 1840. His religious paintings of the 1840s apparently inspired the early works of the Pre-Raphaelites, whom he supported.
In 1850, he was commissioned to paint a set of Biblical frescoes in the new Houses of Parliament, although the only completed example was the first version of the Moses composition (1854-64), which presented the artist with major technical difficulties. Melbourne’s large canvas is a replica, dating from c.1872-77.
In 1871, Herbert was chosen (along with John Ruskin) to advise the NGV on purchases, and he made several recommendations (as noted above), culminating in the commission of the large replica of his own Moses, for the hefty sum of £1,700.
Refs.
For Herbert, see Bénézit 6, p.1421 (listing the NGV’s Moses) and AKL 72 (2012), pp.117-19; see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rogers_Herbert